The Phone Call
by popsicle777
Summary: This is basically what would have happened if Bella had answered Edward's phone call after the cliff diving incident rather than Jake. It's a one shot for now, but I have a lot of ideas, so if enough people like it I'll continue it. Thanks for reading! Not actually rated T but just in case
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, guys. This is my first fanfiction ever, and I'm really nervous, so don't judge me too harshly. I already do enough of that. I hope you like it but if you don't no flames please! Just give me some constructive criticism or don't say anything. Thanks! Popsicle777**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Jacob was leaning closer, his lips almost touching mine. I was completely undecided. Was it worth it to give the little fragments of my heart to someone who deserved much better?

My thoughts were interrupted when the phone rang, and Jacob picked it up. Relieved that I didn't have to decide right now, I quickly snatched the phone away from Jake. What if it was Charlie or Alice?

"Hello?" My voice sounded like I had been screaming at a concert for two weeks straight. Guess I lost more water when drowning than I'd previously thought.

"Bella?" an incredulous voice responded. It was a voice I would know anywhere. The voice I had so dramatically jumped off of a cliff for.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Edward?"

"Bella, is that you?" he replied huskily, like he was crying. That was ridiculous. Why would he cry over me? He didn't care enough to do that, not to mention the fact that crying was impossible for him.

Not trusting my voice to be steady, I didn't answer. He continued. "Bella, what were you thinking? I thought you were dead! I'm so sor-"

I cut him off. That must have been why he'd been crying. He always blamed himself for everything. I didn't want him to pretend, he didn't owe me anything. "I'm sorry to worry you, but now you know I'm fine, so stop. You can go back to enjoying your distractions now." I slammed down the phone, and began to run up to my room, but was stopped by Jake.

Jake! In the heat of the moment, I had completely forgotten he had existed. Some friend I was!

"Jake, I need you to go home. I need some time alone." I offered him a watery smile, and while I don't think he bought it, he could at least sense that this was not the time to push it. He nodded carefully and silently ran out the front door and into the forest.

As soon as I was free from scrutiny, all of my walls crumbled from the pressure. I ran upstairs and hurriedly put on my pajamas so I would be able to curl up and hold myself together in my bed.

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I guess I had fallen asleep when my tears ran dry, because the next thing I knew, I was waking up to my alarm. I went to hit snooze, so I could privately wallow in my misery, but it turned off on its own, almost as if Edward was here trying to let me sleep in like he would have if he had been here, and loved me.

That thought made me start to sob. I sobbed until I started having hallucinations. Though I was a little surprised, it did make sense that these imaginary cold stone arms were comforting me. First, I had never been in more danger than right now. While it was not a physical danger, my mind was about to hit its ultimate breaking point. Which also made sense, seeing as I was emotionally compromised, and had previously been stalking my hallucinations.

I opened my eyes, fearing that it would all disappear, just like he had. To my pleasure, I saw him. There, with me, holding me as if he truly loved me.

Abruptly, I realised that his face was contorted in pain, almost like I was burning him with the tears that were still soundlessly streaming down my face in rivers.

It occurred to me that if this was a hallucination, then how had my alarm clock turned off on its own. Either it was broken, or this was no hallucination, and I was the one causing that look on his face.

Either way, I couldn't stand seeing him like that. I had to wipe it away, especially if it was real, so he wouldn't feel any more unnecessary obligations for my sake. He should be happy, no matter what it cost me.

I broke the silence. "What are you doing here?" He looked puzzled, as if it was inconceivable that I didn't already know the answer. "I came to see if you were okay." My head swam with confusion. Why did it matter if I was okay?

He must have missed the baffled look on my face, because he kept going. "Why the hell would you jump off a cliff! You could have killed yourself! You have to be more responsible, Bella. You promised you would be responsible. That you wouldn't do anything reckless. What if you had died?" For whatever reason, he blanched at the thought, just like I had when he had told me about his contingency plans. "What would I have done if you'd died? If I'd lost you?" He seemed to be talking more to himself than to me at that point. He refocused on my face. "I'm so sorry. So so sorry! I-" He was unable to go on speaking.

I had been trying to cut him off since the beginning of his speech, but my mouth wouldn't move. The more he had verbalized, the more tongue tied and befuddled I got. Why would he be sorry?

I finally choked some words out. "That still doesn't answer my question. Why would that matter? Why are you here?"

As I said that, the pain in his eyes doubled, as impossible as that sounds. "What do you mean why am I here? How could I not be after what happened?"

"Why would you care if I had died. You made it pretty clear in the forest that you didn't want to keep pretending." I sounded like a strangled cat.

Then he did the last thing I expected. He just lost it and began weeping tearlessly.

I panicked. "I'm sorry! What did I do? Oh God, I'm sor-"

He cut me off just like I had done to him on the phone. "If you value my sanity, don't you dare apologize Isabella."

I didn't comment, fearing I would make it worse than I already had.

He went on clarifying. "I care because I love you. How on earth could you think different?"

My face went blank with pure shock. "But you said-"

"I lied. I have to be a good liar, with my whole life being one, but when I told you I didn't want you, that was the most vile slander that has ever been said to anyone, by anyone."

My mouth was agape. There was no way!

He looked at me mournfully. You don't believe me, do you? Don't tell me you do, because the truth is plain as day on your face. How on earth could you think that? If you disregard what I said in the forest, what is the thing you heard me say most often?"

"You told me you love me," I replied grudgingly. "But-"

And was there anything that told you otherwise, still omitting that most awful day of my life?"

"No, but-"

"But what?" he said, exasperated.

"But I was never good enough. I knew that, and everyone else knew that, and then one day you finally came to your senses and saw the truth." I mumbled brokenly.

He just hugged me and stroked my hair as I started bawling all over again. "Bella, I promise you I won't leave ever again. Not if this is what it does to you."

He went on explaining. "I love you too much to do that to you, or even myself, but that's besides the point. I was trying to keep you safe! I was, and still am, putting you in so much danger, just because of my presence."

I let it go. I still wasn't sold on the fact that he loved me, but I had already commenced hoping. So I just layed there with him holding me, just enjoying him being there, even through my uncertainties.

**So what do you think? I tried my best. I was going to leave it as a one-shot, but if enough people want me to continue, there is plenty more loose ends to tie. Review and follow please! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! I realize that this chapter is kind of short, but I wanted to get this out there as soon as possible, plus it isn't even a cliffhanger (I hate those). So tell me what you think! Also let me know if you would rather me post more frequently with shorter chapters, or a little less frequently with longer chapters. Thanks for reading! popsicle777**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Previously in The Phone Call:

He just hugged me and stroked my hair as I started bawling all over again. "Bella, I promise you I won't leave ever again. Not if this is what it does to you."

He went on explaining. "I love you too much to do that to you, or even myself, but that's besides the point. I was trying to keep you safe! I was, and still am, putting you in so much danger, just because of my presence."

I let it go. I still wasn't sold on the fact that he loved me, but I had already commenced hoping. So I just layed there with him holding me, just enjoying him being there, even through my uncertainties.

After about 20 minutes I was feeling restless, so I pushed Edward's arms away. "Did I do something? Do you want me to leave?" his voice was a hushed velvet, but I could still catch the hint of anguish suppressed for my benefit, and made me slightly more hopeful, like it did hurt him to be separate from me as much as it did for me to be separate from him.

"No, of course not!" I was horrified at the thought of him leaving, like he had, but if he wanted to… "Unless…" I had to force the next words out. "Unless you want to." I promised myself right then and there that I would give him whatever he wanted, whether that was leaving or not.

"Of course I don't want to!" he shouted. He kept going. "The only reason I left was to keep you safe. Even before, I had force myself to leave you at school, or in the morning, and that was only temporary! When I left 'for good', it was almost impossible to do it."

"Don't you get it yet?" I exclaimed in spite of the pact I had just made to myself. "It didn't help at all! It was torture on both sides and now Charlie hates you and you took everything! And Victoria..." I shuddered.

He looked flabbergasted. (AN: I love that word. It's so… weird.) "Victoria, here? Please tell me you're kidding!" I shook my head. "NO! I won't let her! She can't have you! You're worth too much!" He pulled me back into his arms, intent on protecting me, regardless of the fact that she was both not here, and he hadn't been here to do so in the first place.

He held me a little bit too tight, so I said "Edward, I can't breathe" into his chest where he was smooshing my head.

"Sorry," he apologized, and loosened his grip a little.

He must have wondered how she hadn't gotten to me yet because he asked just that. "Um…" I said awkwardly. "My best friend is kind of… a werewolf."

"Oh, Bella. You were supposed to be staying out of trouble. Not courting it."

"I'm still here, aren't I?" I asked absentmindedly. What was his problem with werewolves?

I didn't have time to contemplate that, because he was continuing his earlier explanation. "I still don't know how I did it. Left, I mean. I was the hardest thing I've ever done, and it was for you, I swear. I couldn't have done it at all if I hadn't believed that. I was so close to caving in the forest, and when I saw that horrible pained look on your face when you accepted the fact that I didn't love you, as if that were even possible. It was like I had torn my black heart out of my chest and put it under your floorboards with the rest of your stuff."

I knew exactly which floorboards he was talking about. They were the ones in the back of my closet that had been loose for as long as I could remember. I got up and quickly went to get the stuff which were all in a small shoebox, hastily hiding what used to be the stereo for my truck. I brought the box back over to the bed leaning on him, which made him smile. After putting it down, I turned and hugged him, burying my face in his chest. He gently hugged me back careful not to firmly like he had last time.

"I believe you." I murmured.

He kissed my forehead softly. "Hmm?" he breathed into my hair.

"You love me." As I said that I realised that I truly did believe him. It explained a lot, about his distance right before his departure, to start with. To be honest I had been fighting it the entire time, because I was afraid that I might be wrong. But his hiding the gifts and pictures under the floorboards was pretty much the icing on the cake.

I was overflowing with both joy and sorrow, but mostly joy. Sorrow, because all of this ghastly pain could have been avoided entirely, but Edward had to be so… Edwardish. Although his Edwardishness is why I love him. Joy, because he was here, and he loved me which was all I'd ever wanted anyway.

**Again, thanks for reading, and please follow, favorite, and review with your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long to update, but it was Thanksgiving, and then I got sick for two weeks. As Jessica said in the movie,"It, happens, right?" (Port Angeles) I hope you like it. popsicle777**

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

_Previously in The Phone Call:_

_"You love me." As I said that I realised that I truly did believe him. It explained a lot, about his distance right before his departure, to start with. To be honest I had been fighting it the entire time, because I was afraid that I might be wrong. But his hiding the gifts and pictures under the floorboards was pretty much the icing on the cake._

_I was overflowing with both joy and sorrow, but mostly joy. Sorrow, because all of this ghastly pain could have been avoided entirely, but Edward had to be so… Edwardish. Although his Edwardishness is why I love him. Joy, because he was here, and he loved me which was all I'd ever wanted anyway._

"You know, I wasn't trying to kill myself," I informed him as I got up and stretched. I headed over to my closet and got out the first outfit I saw in order to not waste another second.

He knew what I meant immediately, but he raised his eyebrow skeptically. "What were you doing then, if you would be so kind as to tell me?" he inquired as I got ready for my shower.

I laughed nervously. He wasn't going to like what I told him, but he deserved to decide whether he was going to date a crazy woman or not. Still… it wouldn't hurt him to at least let me enjoy my shower knowing he was still here before he found out. "I'll explain after my shower." I managed. He nodded, and I headed to the bathroom, terrified of his coming reaction.

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After my 20 minute shower, which had been equal parts taking my time and full on procrastinating, I headed back to my room, needing to see Edward. I couldn't shake the feeling I'd had a very convincing hallucination, and he had already poofed out of my life again. So you can empathize with the panic attack I had when he wasn't there.

I didn't have time to lose it after my hope had been crushed to smithereens. It was Saturday, I had to be at work in half an hour, and I had yet to eat any cardboard, as my food had become.

Speaking of food… what was that smell? Someone was cooking downstairs, and it didn't even smell like cardboard. It was Saturday. Charlie was supposed to be on a fishing trip. Could it be…?

I sprinted down the stairs so fast, it was a miracle that I didn't trip. Well, I didn't trip on the stairs. Running into the kitchen without watching where I was going was another story. My foot got caught on some air, and I plummeted towards the ground, my eyes squeezed shut and my arms braced for impact.

Except there was none. It was then that I noticed the strong yet gentle arms around my waist, arms that could only belong to one person.

I opened my eyes, finding myself face to face with the floor, again. I then righted myself, my cheeks burning as I blushed. I slowly turned around to check that it was in fact my Edward who had caught me, who hadn't left.

I looked at the floor, ashamed that I could doubt his promises. I had to believe that he loved me. I did believe that he loved me. How could I think he would bolt as soon as I turned my back?

He sensed my anguish because he put his finger under my chin and lifted my eyes up to stare at his. "What is it?"

My cheeks burned. "Ithoughtyouleftagainbecauseyouweren'tinmyroom." I whispered as quietly as possible.

He gazed at me sadly. "I promised you I wouldn't." He sighed. "I don't blame you though. I promised you before, and I did leave. But I swear to you, I'll always be here. I couldn't stay away the first time. There's no way I could ever stand leaving again."

I nodded, reassured for the time being. I went to go make my lunch, but Edward caught my arm. "I made you lunch already, you don't need to."

I had forgotten in my panic the smell I had detected upstairs. "You didn't need to do that," I said as I sat down and took a large bite of the cheeseburger. It had guacamole on it, just the way I like it.

"No, but I wanted to make it up to you. Besides, you deserve it." he replied.

I ate in silence, enjoying his company. When I finished, he snatched the plate away before I could wash it. "Hey!" I exclaimed breathlessly as I tried to get it back. He just laughed and held it above his head, where a shorty like me (don't tell Emmett I said that) couldn't reach.

"Nope," he smirked. " I told you I was making it up to you."

I pouted, but he shook his head and began to was it. I grumbled under my breath.

"Besides,"he continued. "Now you can tell me what you meant upstairs."

I gulped. I was trying to find an excuse to back out, but finally I sighed. He deserved to know.

"Well," I began anxiously, "It all started when I went to Port Angeles to see a movie with Jessica, about four months after you left." I edited out the screaming in my sleep, the zombie-like state, and the fact that Charlie's concern had been my prominent motivation for even going to the movie. "After the movie, we were walking to the McDonald's down the street from the movie theatre, and we passed four men. They reminded me of that night, when you saved me from those other men in Port Angeles, and you confirmed my suspicions. I wasn't going to do anything, I swear, but all of a sudden, you were telling me to keep walking, to get away from them, like you were protecting me again. Mostly I tried not to think about you, but this didn't hurt so much. Anyway, after that day, I kept looking for ways to hear your voice again. I found some motorcycles, and Jacob fixed them and taught me to ride them."

When I said the part about the motorcycles, he looked like he was going to have an aneurism. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

The words came out half strangled. "You were… risking your life… to hear… me?"

I stared at him. "That's what you're worried about?" I marveled. "Not the fact that I'm probably certifiably insane and should be in a mental institution?"

"You're not crazy, Bella. You were hearing things because your mind knew that was what you needed, and so that's what it gave you."

I was relieved. That had been one of my options, sort of.

"Long story short, I jumped off of a cliff to hear your voice," I finished.

He took my face in both of his hands. "Never ever ever do that again, Isabella."

"No problem," I replied, and we both went to wait for Charlie to come home so we could tell him the good news of Edward's return.

**Thanks for reading! Please review. popscile777**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, guys. Sorry this took so long, but I'm happy to say that this is the longest chapter yet! There will only be one more chapter in this story. Hope you like it!**

_The words came out half strangled. "You were… risking your life… to hear… me?"_

_I stared at him. "That's what you're worried about?" I marveled. "Not the fact that I'm probably certifiably insane and should be in a mental institution?"_

_"You're not crazy, Bella. You were hearing things because your mind knew that was what you needed, and so that's what it gave you."_

_I was relieved. That had been one of my options, sort of._

_"Long story short, I jumped off of a cliff to hear your voice," I finished._

_He took my face in both of his hands. "Never ever ever do that again, Isabella."_

_"No problem," I replied, and we both went to wait for Charlie to come home so we could tell him the good news of Edward's return._

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Half an hour later, I was sitting on Edward's lap, trying to make up for lost time. I heard Charlie pull into our driveway. I checked the clock, 7:30 on the dot.

I quickly yet reluctantly pulled away from Edward. Before, I would have gripped his hand like it was my lifeline, and it still was, but I didn't know if Charlie could handle it. I had, after all, put him through hell.

He came in the front door, his clunky boots thumping on the wood flooring. He called out his standard, "Bella, I'm home!" before he marched into the living room.

He didn't notice Edward until he had already sunk down into his armchair. Needless to say he wasn't exactly thrilled. His eyes bulged, and he turned bright red.

"Hi, dad." I spoke rapidly before Charlie could explode.

He glared at Edward before turning to me accusingly. "What's he doing here!" Charlie thundered. He spat 'he' like it was the f-bomb.

Edward could see that I had absolutely no explanation, so he took over. "Esme couldn't stand it in Los Angeles, so we decided as a family to move back. Also, everyone was missing Bella, especially me."

Uh, oh. That last part was not the best idea.

Charlie went ballistic. "So you think that since you couldn't get enough 'action' or whatever it is that you're after, that you can just waltz back here and pick up right where you left off. How dare you enter this house without my permission! How dare you just come in and claim the girl you nearly destroyed in one final swoop. You think that I'll allow you to come back here after seven months without any contact? You're in for a rude awakening, because that sure as hell is not going to happen, let me tell you!"

I watched Edward's face as Charlie ate his heart out. What he was saying was bad enough, but what he was thinking must have been really bad, because Edward didn't even bother to hide the torture that was so clearly visible on his face. Or maybe he was hiding it. Either he was doing a really bad job of hiding it, or he was doing an exceptional job of hiding it and the pain was just that excruciating. I was willing to bet on the latter choice, because a. he was good at everything, and b. I knew what he was feeling, both from the past and the present reliving of my most awful nightmare(s). In fact, I was also willing to bet that my face was hiding even less than Edward's.

Charlie took a moment to breathe, and he finally registered the expressions on our faces. He looked like he wanted to say more, but one look at my face and he couldn't hurt me anymore. Then he did the last thing I expected. He broke down, right in front of me, in front of _Edward_. It didn't make sense. I mean, I always knew he loved me, a lot, and Edward had always said so, right after he told me that he loved me, but Charlie was hardly a man of many words, just like me.

I hated myself. All I did was cause pain. To Edward, Jacob, even Charlie. I was the true monster, regardless of what he thought of himself.

Edward's voice brought me out of my revery. I must have been right about him masking his emotions, because he looked even more agonized, like he'd couldn't even bring himself to hide them anymore. I winced.

"Charlie, you're right," Edward said in his pained (but still flawless) voice. "Bella deserves better than that, much better." He took a breath to steady himself as I resisted the urge to snort loudly. It was just the thought that Edward could owe me something that I really didn't deserve, not the actual sentence.

Charlie didn't answer. It was silent for a few eternal seconds before he spoke, but his statement wasn't directed towards Edward. "Bella, do you want to order a pizza for dinner?" That was Charlie's way of trying to make me feel better. "Edward and I need to have a talk." Or maybe there was another motive. "I'll make some fish fry. It won't take too long." There. Then I would be in the kitchen during their conversation rather than my room, the better to hear them. And yes, I know that I sound like the wolf from the little red riding hood fairy tale.

Charlie obviously saw right through me, but he let it go with a sigh. I didn't look back as I walked into the kitchen and got started on dinner, trying to be extra quiet so the noises wouldn't drown out my hearing the discussion going on in the next room.

Edward began, as I had expected, since he had the advantage of hearing Charlie's unedited thought's as if they were spoken aloud. Not that Charlie knew that. Despite the situation, I had to chuckle, internally of course.

"Sir, before you begin, I just want to apologize for everything I've caused you both. It was the stupidest thing that I've ever done, and to be honest, I expected her to send me away the moment I showed up at the door, but I had to try. When someone is that perfect, that special, so special that no words can describe it, you have to try. Not that I expect you to forgive me as well. fact, I'm still waiting for her to come to her senses."

Charlie cleared his throat. he muttered "At least you know your place," which I'm certain that Edward could hear, if I could hear it. "It would have been one thing if you had insulted me. Broken the law. Even helped Bella sneak out in the middle of the night. But when you left, you broke her soul. I was helpless. It was like night of the living dead around here, except it wasn't just one night. It was every night, screaming. I didn't know what to do."

Silence. I couldn't imagine what Edward must be thinking. There was no way he'd take this well.

I guess Charlie could see that Edward didn't know what to say, so he continued. "And the day you left her in the woods! Why in God's earth would you do that! She was out there for six hours!

I couldn't take it anymore. Since dinner was in the oven, I knew it wouldn't burn, so I hurried into the living room. I didn't look at Edward's face—I was afraid of what I would find there.

"That wasn't his fault!" I shouted, cheeks burning. "I could see the house from where he left me. I just tried to follow him. He didn't even know." I tried to calm myself but I broke down crying instead.

I hear a chair creek as someone got up. I knew it was Edward when a cold arm rubbed my back while slowly guiding me to the couch to sit next to Charlie, who was obviously at a loss as to what he should do.

Finally he sighed. "I don't know what else to do. Your eighteen, Bella. I can't stop you. And you…" he said, turning to Edward. "If she is ever unhappy again because of you, I won't hesitate to press harassment charges on you."

I groaned, but didn't push my luck. I hugged Charlie. "Thanks, Dad."

While I didn't push my luck, Edward decided to push his. "Sir, may I help Bella with dinner? It's the least I could do."

Charlie sighed again, but didn't protest, so Edward followed me into the kitchen, right as the timer for the oven went off.

I started to take it out, but Edward said, "Allow me." I wasn't in the mood to argue, so I let him feel useful.

He set it silently on the counter, and walked over to me with sad eyes. "I need to say something. I don't feel right just assuming you've forgiven me, so I need to ask. Bella, I promise that I love you with every fiber of my being. I always have, and I always will. So, Bella, will you please forgive me for my tragic mistake?"

I, for one, had never even considered that any of it was his fault, I decided to humor him. "Of course; I thought we had covered that already."

He gave me a hug that would rival Emmett's. Speaking of Emmett… "Hey Edward? Do you think that I could come visit your family tomorrow?"

He laughed. "Of course! I was just about to suggest it. They all really missed you, you know."

I sighed contentedly, then called Charlie in since the fish wasn't hot anymore. Edward left with a grateful goodby to both of us, and after dinner I went upstairs to wait for my Edward to come back.

**Thanks for reading! Please comment and review. Also, if I made a sequel of the same story with the same plot in Edward's point of view, would you read it? Let me know. popsicle777**


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